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To the Lighthouse

To the Lighthouse

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  • Create Date：2021-05-20 10:53:58
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Virginia Woolf
  • ISBN：1853260916
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Summary

To the Lighthouse is the most autobiographical of Virginia Woolf's novels。 It is based on her own early experiences: childhood， adult relationships， marriage and the changing class-structure in the period spanning the Great War。

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Reviews

Katie ，

i probably should've dnf'd this book :/ woolf's writing is not for me i probably should've dnf'd this book :/ woolf's writing is not for me 。。。more

Jeff Gabriel ，

While the book was pretty good in its own right， what I kept thinking about was "who's afraid of Virginia Woolf"。 The dialogue is so depressing and dark。 The lives lived are somehow normal and pitiable。 There is no plot here - just a few scenes of people living， hoping， being disappointed， dying。 I don't know if I liked the style overall， but the prose is masterful and it definitely makes you think。 While the book was pretty good in its own right， what I kept thinking about was "who's afraid of Virginia Woolf"。 The dialogue is so depressing and dark。 The lives lived are somehow normal and pitiable。 There is no plot here - just a few scenes of people living， hoping， being disappointed， dying。 I don't know if I liked the style overall， but the prose is masterful and it definitely makes you think。 。。。more

Matthias ，

Time passes。

Maria Castello ，

Few explore and detail the depths and crevices of human psychology in fiction as brilliantly as Virginia Woolf。 This was absolutely exquisite。 I didn’t like the second half as much as the first （for probably obvious reasons）， but even so this is such a masterful work of genius。 Perhaps unsurprisingly， this reminded me so much of Mrs。 Dalloway， although I think I still like Mrs。 Dalloway better （subsequent re-readings of both will eventually decide it for me， I suppose）。 My only real regret is th Few explore and detail the depths and crevices of human psychology in fiction as brilliantly as Virginia Woolf。 This was absolutely exquisite。 I didn’t like the second half as much as the first （for probably obvious reasons）， but even so this is such a masterful work of genius。 Perhaps unsurprisingly， this reminded me so much of Mrs。 Dalloway， although I think I still like Mrs。 Dalloway better （subsequent re-readings of both will eventually decide it for me， I suppose）。 My only real regret is that I didn’t wait until later in the year to read this - this would be a perfect book to read at the beach。 。。。more

Reed Hansen ，

I went the audiobook route。 I don’t think I could have pushed myself through this meandering scattered internal dialogue。 In an audiobook I could tune in and out a bit。The prose was very poetic but I just had a hard time really engaging with the characters。

Marieke ，

Brilliant。 I can't form the right sentences to express what this book did to me。 In the words of Virginia Woolf herself:"Words fluttered sideways and struck the object inches too low。 Then one gave it up; then the idea sank back again; then one became like most middle-aged people， cautious， furtive， with wrinkles between the eyes and a look of perpetual apprehension。 For how could one express in words these emotions of the body？ express that emptiness there？" Brilliant。 I can't form the right sentences to express what this book did to me。 In the words of Virginia Woolf herself:"Words fluttered sideways and struck the object inches too low。 Then one gave it up; then the idea sank back again; then one became like most middle-aged people， cautious， furtive， with wrinkles between the eyes and a look of perpetual apprehension。 For how could one express in words these emotions of the body？ express that emptiness there？" 。。。more

Amanda Reynolds-Gregg ，

I am slowly working through a collection of Virginia Woolf books I took over from a student and been really enjoying the experience。 This book is about relationships， the inability to communicate， and the vast inner lives of characters。 I really enjoyed the slow build and the style of writing （though I do still sometimes struggle a little）。 I also think it's interesting having such a large time jump during which at least one main character dies and you get to see how the other characters process I am slowly working through a collection of Virginia Woolf books I took over from a student and been really enjoying the experience。 This book is about relationships， the inability to communicate， and the vast inner lives of characters。 I really enjoyed the slow build and the style of writing （though I do still sometimes struggle a little）。 I also think it's interesting having such a large time jump during which at least one main character dies and you get to see how the other characters process that。 I almost wish the second half of the novel was longer so it would probably be more of a 4。5 from me but I'll round up to 5 stars for simplicity's sake。I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as Orlando， but it was still a lovely read that I got through rather quickly。 。。。more

Shawna Pierce ，

Should have read in high school。 Didn't understand this book。 Writing at times was quite beautiful。 Should have read in high school。 Didn't understand this book。 Writing at times was quite beautiful。 。。。more

Jacob ，

Not a real page-turner。。。 Wikipedia says there's 'almost no direct action' in this book。 That's fair。 So it's not what "happens" that keeps you invested （I'll admit I wasn't all that invested in the characters except as vantage points and channels through which Woolf could communicate）。 Virginia Woolf captures a certain rhythm of gentle introspection， inner musings， and self-doubt like no one else I've read。 The book is made up mostly of thoughts and observations （from various characters we meet Not a real page-turner。。。 Wikipedia says there's 'almost no direct action' in this book。 That's fair。 So it's not what "happens" that keeps you invested （I'll admit I wasn't all that invested in the characters except as vantage points and channels through which Woolf could communicate）。 Virginia Woolf captures a certain rhythm of gentle introspection， inner musings， and self-doubt like no one else I've read。 The book is made up mostly of thoughts and observations （from various characters we meet on the Isle of Skye—the Ramsays and their friends and working staff）。 The quotes below are some of the parts that captured this rhythm for me。 "How did one judge people， think of them？ How did one add up this and that and conclude that it was liking one felt， or disliking？ And to those words what meaning attached after all？"Sitting at dinner， Mr。 Ramsay:"The truth was that he did not enjoy family life。 It was in this sort of state that one asked oneself， 'What does one live for？ Why，' one asked oneself， 'does one take all these pains for the human race to go on？ Is it so very desirable？ Are we attractive as a species？' Not so very， he thought。。。 Foolish questions。 Vain questions。 Questions one never asked if one was occupied。 Is human life this？ Is human life that？ One never had time to think about it。 But here he was asking himself that sort of question。。。 "It had struck him。。。 that friendships， even the best of them， are frail things。 One drifts apart。""Who knows what we are， what we feel？ Who knows， even at the moment of intimacy， 'This is knowledge'？ Aren't things spoiled， then。。。 by saying them？ Aren't we more expressive thus？"The end of the book when Lily Briscoe finishes her painting in similitude of Woolf finishing a book or anyone finishing a work of art"。。。 its attempt at something。 It would be hung in the attics， it would be destroyed。。。 but what did that matter？。。。 With a sudden intensity， as if she saw it clear for a second， she drew a line there， in the center。 It was done。 It was finished。 Yes， she thought， laying down her brush in extreme fatigue， I have had my vision。" 。。。more

Michael Gates ，

didn't understand most of it I think but those philosophical bits and the bits that demonstrate the unspoken exchanges between men and women （like first chapter） go hard。 definitely not supposed to like the bits from Mr。 Ramsay's perspective but can't help it。 didn't understand most of it I think but those philosophical bits and the bits that demonstrate the unspoken exchanges between men and women （like first chapter） go hard。 definitely not supposed to like the bits from Mr。 Ramsay's perspective but can't help it。 。。。more

Michelle ，

4。5This book was beautiful。 Not only is the language just very beautiful but I also really liked the change of perspectives in this one。 It felt very special to me and I highlighted so many things in this book that half of my copy is yellow。 This was the first novel by Virginia Woolf that I've read and I can't wait to keep reading her books。 Her feminist themes and the philosophical questions this novel prompts are just *chef's kiss*。 It was also very much character driven， which I always like。 4。5This book was beautiful。 Not only is the language just very beautiful but I also really liked the change of perspectives in this one。 It felt very special to me and I highlighted so many things in this book that half of my copy is yellow。 This was the first novel by Virginia Woolf that I've read and I can't wait to keep reading her books。 Her feminist themes and the philosophical questions this novel prompts are just *chef's kiss*。 It was also very much character driven， which I always like。 I really can't find any fault in it other than that sometimes I didn't understand it since the perspective changes happened so quickly。 For the first 50 pages I was very confused。 I also found the break in the middle part very refreshing and very unexpected。 Yeah， I thoroughly enjoyed this one！ 。。。more

Cathy ，

I enjoyed the first book/section very much indeed。 I wish it had ended there。 To then write about years on was oddly unsatisfying a read - the reader does not gain much of anything new。 We know Mr Ramsay would be once a tyrant always a complete selfish beast。 And as for Lily， poor Lily - I can't help feeling she should have turned to the author and stabbed her with her paintbrush。Not my favourite Woolf， though still excellent writing （first part）。 I don't think I will want to re-read for some ti I enjoyed the first book/section very much indeed。 I wish it had ended there。 To then write about years on was oddly unsatisfying a read - the reader does not gain much of anything new。 We know Mr Ramsay would be once a tyrant always a complete selfish beast。 And as for Lily， poor Lily - I can't help feeling she should have turned to the author and stabbed her with her paintbrush。Not my favourite Woolf， though still excellent writing （first part）。 I don't think I will want to re-read for some time now。 。。。more

Fay | books & freckles ，

Written in 1927， 𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 begins on one summer day in the life of the Ramsey family on the Isle of Skye in the 1910’s。 The characters begin to report on the ordinary images they see: a man dozing on the beach or children playing catch， but the story is anything but ordinary。 The way each scene is perceived shocks the reader into attention with the amount of honesty and detail that is being told。It reads as if it’s a stream of consciousness between all the characters， and with not much o Written in 1927， 𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 begins on one summer day in the life of the Ramsey family on the Isle of Skye in the 1910’s。 The characters begin to report on the ordinary images they see: a man dozing on the beach or children playing catch， but the story is anything but ordinary。 The way each scene is perceived shocks the reader into attention with the amount of honesty and detail that is being told。It reads as if it’s a stream of consciousness between all the characters， and with not much of a plot。 Instead the major events fall like a brick， expressed in brief sentences， but the shattered debris of afterthoughts are what keep the book moving。 The novels genius is all about the prose and internal thoughts of the people around you。 These thoughts swarm the reader and pull you in like the tide， forcing you to tread the water just as the characters do。 Their thoughts become their reality， they must either endure it or succumb to the pessimistic tone Woolf is setting。These themes tie into the tragic demise of Virginia Woolf， as she committed suicide by drowning in 1941 at the age of 59。 Woolf had allegedly suffered from bipolar disorder and had a history of depression and multiple suicide attempts。 After learning about Woolf living through the German bombing raids in London during World War I and her mental illness， it is evident that she used her platform not to write anti-war manifestos， but to capture the devastating effects and struggles from both WWI and the war she faced internally。 。。。more

Mary Claire ，

Couldn't put it down。 Virginia Woolfe should be taught in schools more Couldn't put it down。 Virginia Woolfe should be taught in schools more 。。。more

Joseph Yue ，

One of the first English novels I tried to read many years ago， I soon gave up after less than 50 pages in; I thought maybe I hadn't learned to appreciate modern literature， or maybe my English was not good enough。 Picking it up now I realised that there is simply no substance in there but hollow， meaningless， rambling thoughts。 Many modernist literature have also tried to allude to the so-called "absurdity of life" and the existential crisis， like the works of Albert Camus; some others have， on One of the first English novels I tried to read many years ago， I soon gave up after less than 50 pages in; I thought maybe I hadn't learned to appreciate modern literature， or maybe my English was not good enough。 Picking it up now I realised that there is simply no substance in there but hollow， meaningless， rambling thoughts。 Many modernist literature have also tried to allude to the so-called "absurdity of life" and the existential crisis， like the works of Albert Camus; some others have， on the other hand， experimented with new forms and ideas， knitting the seemingly impossible accidentals together， like the shorts of Jorge Luis Borges; but they are mostly brilliant literature in themselves regardless of the philosophy that is communicated， and none of them is as empty as this book， being so deeply buried in its conception-reality dualism， which offers the reader no more than a void and painful reading experience。 。。。more

Gary ，

This is the second of Virginia Woolf’s books I have read， the other being Mrs Dalloway。 The latter was Woolf’s penultimate book， and To the Lighthouse her last， and best， according to all the reviews I have read。I must be honest， I struggle with Woolf as， apparently， do a lot of other people。 She is a member of that section of writers who write ‘modern’ fiction; modern in the sense of not writing stories in the ‘usual’ way but using stream-of-consciousness narratives that are designed to give th This is the second of Virginia Woolf’s books I have read， the other being Mrs Dalloway。 The latter was Woolf’s penultimate book， and To the Lighthouse her last， and best， according to all the reviews I have read。I must be honest， I struggle with Woolf as， apparently， do a lot of other people。 She is a member of that section of writers who write ‘modern’ fiction; modern in the sense of not writing stories in the ‘usual’ way but using stream-of-consciousness narratives that are designed to give the reader a real sense of the inner person， to flesh out a character so well that you know their deepest feelings， fears， hopes and loves/hates。 James Joyce is another of these writers， and is allegedly even harder to read for many。 I tried reading Ulysses once and gave up pretty quickly but I will give it another go some day。In keeping with this ‘modern’ genre， To the Lighthouse does not have much of a plot （by design）; what is has is a potted history of a family and their friends who， over the years， stay every summer at the family’s second home by the sea。 The story describes， mostly via each person’s own thoughts， their relationships， expectations， hopes， disappointments， views of the others and their desires – and what they do。 This is all very well， and there are sections of the book where I was enthralled and felt that the method of telling this ‘story’ was really working。 A character would， for example， be doing something （e。g。 painting in the garden） and then beginning a conversation with someone who approached them， but then we are treated to all the little things that pop into their heads while they are doing these two things – like we all do。 A word or gesture can evoke thoughts in our minds about unrelated things， and we may have ongoing worries or ideas that continually pop up to distract us when we are ostensibly doing something irrelevant to that thought。 This is how is goes， as I said， stream of consciousness， and while I think it does work as a technique and is interesting， there are times in this book when I found myself distracted because I was reading and thinking ‘What the heck is she going on about？’ There were pages where the narrative seemed neither relevant to the story nor to the character， and I wondered where Woolf got it from。 For this reason I found it boring at times and wondered if I should carry on， but then it became much more insightful and I loved it。The lighthouse comes into it because it sits out to sea at the edge of the bay on the cliff of which stands the house in which they are staying， so it is almost continuously visible。 It is a long-standing wish of some of the characters， especially the children， to hire a sailing boat and visit the lighthouse。 In fact， in the past the main ‘mother’ character of the story has taken supplies of magazines and other treats to the lighthouse keepers， being mindful of their loneliness and isolation， while they， the family， are enjoying their holiday on the shore。 Do they get there？ Read it and see。I can understand how some people call this a work of genius but I am not one of them。 I admire it， I will read it again， but it was quite hard work at times。 It is worth persevering for the good bits but you may have to take quite a few coffee and cake breaks while you get there。I give it 2。5 stars for enjoyment and an extra 1。5 for cleverness， hence 4 altogether。 。。。more

babaokur ，

Bıraktım！ ❌Başyapıtmış。 Tamam。 Bilinçakışı yöntemiyle yazılmış。 Güzel。 Özyaşam， toplumsal meseleler， içgözlem ve derin felsefi gizemler barındırıyormuş。 Bu da harika。 Ama okunmuyor be Virginia abla！ 50 sayfayı ağızda büyüyen lokma gibi çiğnedim de çiğnedim。。。 Ama tadı tuzu yok。 Zaten belli başlı bir olay da yok。 İllâ ki bu tarz romanların hayranları vardır ancak okuduğum romanın bana yumruk atması lazım， donmuş bir göle inen balyoz gibi olması lazım， anlatabiliyor muyum？Okunacak onca şey varken， Bıraktım！ ❌Başyapıtmış。 Tamam。 Bilinçakışı yöntemiyle yazılmış。 Güzel。 Özyaşam， toplumsal meseleler， içgözlem ve derin felsefi gizemler barındırıyormuş。 Bu da harika。 Ama okunmuyor be Virginia abla！ 50 sayfayı ağızda büyüyen lokma gibi çiğnedim de çiğnedim。。。 Ama tadı tuzu yok。 Zaten belli başlı bir olay da yok。 İllâ ki bu tarz romanların hayranları vardır ancak okuduğum romanın bana yumruk atması lazım， donmuş bir göle inen balyoz gibi olması lazım， anlatabiliyor muyum？Okunacak onca şey varken， size tat vermeyen， işkence haline gelen metinleri okumakta ısrar etmemek gerek。 Ben böyle düşünüyorum。 。。。more

Bj ，

“What is the meaning of life？ That was all — a simple question; one that tended to close in on one with years， the great revelation had never come。 The great revelation perhaps never did come。 Instead， there were little daily miracles， illuminations， matches struck unexpectedly in the dark; here was one。”

Adrian Florin ，

I don't feel like I have to fully understand her writing， I feel like Virginia is telling me every feeling that I have and can't seem to find the words for I don't feel like I have to fully understand her writing， I feel like Virginia is telling me every feeling that I have and can't seem to find the words for 。。。more

Janae Pierson ，

Written as a stream of consciousness， To the Lighthouse is both intriguing and difficult to read。 The intricacy of human thought unfolds in front of you。 However， Victorian-style books do not really capture my attention nor encourage me to keep reading。

Heitor Duarte Derisso ，

Talvez um dos mais belos retratos da modernidade， que é tão incompreendido que as pessoas sequer notam （pelo menos nas resenhas que eu li） que é um livro inteiro sobre a guerra， a modernidade e as repercussões dessa Grande Guerra na sociedade ocidental - e eu também vou confessar que eu só captei esse ponto enquanto fazia essa releitura para uma disciplina sobre "Crítica Modernista da Modernidade"。。。Eu considero extremamente genial o modo pelo o qual a Virgínia desenvolve suas personagens a part Talvez um dos mais belos retratos da modernidade， que é tão incompreendido que as pessoas sequer notam （pelo menos nas resenhas que eu li） que é um livro inteiro sobre a guerra， a modernidade e as repercussões dessa Grande Guerra na sociedade ocidental - e eu também vou confessar que eu só captei esse ponto enquanto fazia essa releitura para uma disciplina sobre "Crítica Modernista da Modernidade"。。。Eu considero extremamente genial o modo pelo o qual a Virgínia desenvolve suas personagens a partir de um único ponto de referência histórico: o antes， o durante e o depois da Grande Guerra - e cada uma das três partes do livro funcionaria dentro dessa moldura como a representação que Woolf faz desses períodos， respectivamente。Eu não vou me alongar aqui no modo que ela desenvolve as personagens porque isso é um tema digno de um ensaio inteiro （que， por sinal， escreverei até o fim do semestre）， mas gostaria de dizer umas palavrinhas sobre um ponto central da narrativa， mas que não tem tanta relevância aparente: a própria casa de férias da família Ramsay。Essa propriedade começa sendo descrita com palavras digamos que "proféticas" quando Mrs。 Ramsay é apresentada pensado que seus filhos trazem a areia da praia junto delas para dentro ao deixarem as portas abertas; e eis que essa profecia é cumprida quando a casa é abandonada e， assim， destruída pela ação do tempo durante os conflito mundial - podendo representar， assim， o estilo de vida burguês que foi profundamente alterado durante esses anos。 Entretanto， quando essa casa é revisitada no período de paz， as suas cicatrizes permanecem aparentes， apesar de estarem escondidas atrás de camadas de tinta as quais foram passadas pelos funcionários que tentaram reformar （ou， ao menos， concertar） essa propriedade。Desse modo， eu interpreto o final do livro como o modo pelo o qual as personagens restantes vão tentar "curar" ou pelo menos entender alguns de seus traumas， e isso só podia ser feito através de um passeio ao farol。 。。。more

Margaret ，

Mrs。 Ramsay is maternal and nurturing， while Mr。 Ramsay is self-centered and overly concerned with whether his books will be read in the future。 The book shows the small events of everyday life that have lasting repercussions。

Sara ，

The Waves is one of my favorite novels， this one may have topped it。

Zoë ，

I am convinced that Virginia Woolf can do magic with her words。 A true masterpiece about reflections on life and death。

Gloria Quackenbush ，

Just not to my liking It was a constant struggle for me。 I do love reading and sometimes re reading classics but this one was beyond me。 I could never get into it。

Paige McLoughlin ，

One of my favorite books by her。

Julie Parker ，

Third time of reading this book and I think that I got the most out of it this time - as one gets older one understands different things

aPriL does feral sometimes ，

'To the Lighthouse' by Virginia Woolf is lush with succulent sentences！ Reading it felt like experiencing a Mozart symphony through the eyes。 But the novel is basically a philosophical dissertation dissecting how people see each other。 It uses the trappings of a domestic fiction， but without a real plot。 It is written in a stream-of-consciousness style， popular with intellectual modernist writers of the early twentieth-century。 I suspect many readers will place this book in the dnf pile。 The wri 'To the Lighthouse' by Virginia Woolf is lush with succulent sentences！ Reading it felt like experiencing a Mozart symphony through the eyes。 But the novel is basically a philosophical dissertation dissecting how people see each other。 It uses the trappings of a domestic fiction， but without a real plot。 It is written in a stream-of-consciousness style， popular with intellectual modernist writers of the early twentieth-century。 I suspect many readers will place this book in the dnf pile。 The writing was the seduction for me， leading me on into its slow-beating heart。 However， I was also sometimes recalling that infamous movie version of Dune starring Kyle MacLachlan。 Don't judge me。 It's a world of imagination beyond experience， paraphrasing the movie's blurb:https://youtu。be/gtzblUrqmYsThe first chapter consists of what thoughts pass fleetingly inside the heads of invited guests to a house， and of their hosts， and of the two youngest children of the hosts。 They are sitting around， or eating， or napping， or talking while observing the ocean， a beach， a lighthouse， or the park-like lawn stretching out around the house - all of it occurring during a day in The Isle of Skye in Scotland in 1910。 Chapter two describes the dissolution of that house， abandoned by the family although a housekeeper is tasked with occasional visits， as ten years pass。 Chapter three brings back what remains of the family who hosted that long ago party of guests， with a couple of the guests， returning to that same house。 World War I， marriages and deaths have disrupted the characters' lives。 Did anything change with their interior reflections and ideas， of how they saw themselves and their hosts' marriage？Ten years before it had been proposed they all take a boat out to the lighthouse， but it had been postponed because of bad weather。 Ten years later Mr。 Ramsey， the patriarch of the family who owns the house， wishes to finally complete that proposed excursion of ten years ago。 Woolf dissects， by exposing the minute interior reflections of characters， the marriage of a turn-of-the-twentieth century couple， the Ramsays。 Mrs。 Ramsay somehow kept everyone interacting smoothly together despite personality tensions。 She did this by giving everyone what they needed， whether emotionally or through domestic comforts。 She is beautiful， which certainly aids her in her social interactions。 Mr。 Ramsay is a large personality， who uses up all of the oxygen wherever he is。 He is a famous intellectual writer and a professor of philosophy。 No one dares to upset or contradict him， but he appeared to me to be only emotionally tyrannical through a needy and insecure personality。 Mrs。 Ramsay is clearly as necessary to him as breathing， but sometimes he strained her ability to keep calm during some of his tantrums and demands for reassurance。 Mr。 Ramsay is in many ways Mrs。 Ramsay's ninth child。The Ramsays have eight children who are also at the house in 1910 and in 1920， but we readers get to know only James and Camilla。 They have a difficult relationship with their father， but they appear passive-aggressive to me， afraid to express much of their feelings outwardly。 Of course their interior dialogue shows how they perceive the actions and role of their parents in their lives。One guest， a painter， was there in 1910 and in 1920。 Lily Briscoe can't finish a painting she started in 1910， but in musing over her deficiencies as a painter， and Mrs。 Ramsay， on whom she had a crush of sorts， she makes a realization her vision， not her talent or public approval， is the point of expressing herself。This is a high-end novel， more about perception and Art as discussed in a university gathering of literary and artist students than it is about entertainment。 Woolf's writing is glorious。 However， she shows a sensitivity to social interactions/assumed perceptions of those interactions which places WAY too much weight on one's personal and that of others' opinions in this novel in situations where such sweaty social concerns are， frankly imho， neurotic。 She seems to walk her characters in this novel through their lives as if every step， every word， every lift of an eyebrow or curl of a lip is a landmine to one's sense of self。 Personally， I find such discussions effete， actually。 I really think the book was about self-serving emotionally-fragile patriarchal men and their damaging dampening effect on women。 The lighthouse， right？ It's not there strictly as a literary symbol of wisdom and enlightenment。 As a guide to a safe harbor， it's a total failure。 It's a warning patriarchal a*sholes are close by。 The Romans used to place such phallic sculptures on the walls of their houses， I believe satirically。 No such satire here， Woolf's book is all deadly serious。 。。。more

Lorenzo Samuel ，

I've wanted to read something by Virginia Woolf for sometime。 I recommend this book highly。 Here is a sample from Part 2， Chapter 6: "As summer neared， as the evenings lengthened， there came to the wakeful， the hopeful， walking， stirring the pool， imaginations of the strangest kind - of flesh turned to atoms which drove before the wind， of stars flashing in their hearts， of cliff， sea， cloud， and sky brought purposely together to assemble outwardly the scattered parts of the vision within。" Wool I've wanted to read something by Virginia Woolf for sometime。 I recommend this book highly。 Here is a sample from Part 2， Chapter 6: "As summer neared， as the evenings lengthened， there came to the wakeful， the hopeful， walking， stirring the pool， imaginations of the strangest kind - of flesh turned to atoms which drove before the wind， of stars flashing in their hearts， of cliff， sea， cloud， and sky brought purposely together to assemble outwardly the scattered parts of the vision within。" Woolf comes the closest of all the authors I've read in mastering the craft of writing; prose poetry， if you will。 Try one of her books。 。。。more

Sophie Rushton ，

I didn't know what to make of this at first。 The winding sentences with their excessive punctuation and the way time seems to jump around threw me， but my goodness， halfway through the book I was hooked！ Once you accept that this is definitely not plot-driven， but a complex look at characters， everything about it becomes beautiful。 Woolf's writing makes this a masterpiece and so many sentences I took note of; her way of viewing the world is artistic and refined。I would thoroughly recommend this I didn't know what to make of this at first。 The winding sentences with their excessive punctuation and the way time seems to jump around threw me， but my goodness， halfway through the book I was hooked！ Once you accept that this is definitely not plot-driven， but a complex look at characters， everything about it becomes beautiful。 Woolf's writing makes this a masterpiece and so many sentences I took note of; her way of viewing the world is artistic and refined。I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who loves metaphors， vivid imagery and complex characters。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=To the Lighthouse

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=To the Lighthouse&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,To the Lighthouse&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0